RTS Aftermath: campaign points

Wednesday May 08, 2002 12:49

by colm

In the aftermath of RTS 2002, we should all identify which goals can be achieved in the short term. I have two suggestions. I believe that when addressing the media these points shud be repeated and repeated again. They do address the issue of violence which is also v. important obviously.

1: Like in the UK, all CCTV footage, both private and police owned, should be available to anyone who is filmed. This would democratise their usage to a large exent.

I wrote a letter to the Irish Times and Examiner yesterday on this point but of course they didn't publish it... All CCTV footage of Monday should be available for the public to view.

2: Given the evidence that the police sought to deny reporters and protesters the right to record the violence on Monday, a key campaign demand should be the right to film/photograph any protest whether it be on public or private land. This is clearly in the public interest. If the indymedia cameras and others were not there, the guards and the media would have spun the story. We were lucky then- lets not leave it to luck the next time- the right to film must be guaranteed- anything else must just be seen as protecting the guards.

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Broadening the issue

by Ian

Wed May 08, 2002 14:09

ian at theplateau dot com

My suggestion is to broaden the issue beyond police treatment of just protestors. Guardai lack of accountability does not only allow them to repeatedly attack peaceful protestors, but it affects other groups - for instance immigrant communities (who would tend to feel too vulnerable to come to protests).

Check out some Amnesty research on attitudes amongst minorities towards the guards:

http://www.amnesty.ie/act/racism/intro.shtml#views

I'm not claiming that the Guards are all racist of course, in fact I believe there are some good things hapening with the force regarding addressing racism. But lack of accountability of the Guardai is also a real obsticle to tackling institutional racism within the for, and indeed just general racism within society. An external ombudsman *could* make a real difference.

The Guards displayed this lack of accountability with an awe inspiring, and utterly horifying, transparancy on monday. And will very possibly continue to do so at an institutional level in their "internal review" to whatever extent they can get away with given the damning evidence all over the media.

My suggestion for for a compain to take on board:

- A democratically accountable police force, *beginning* with an external police ombudsman.

And more generally, wouldn't it be great to use this as an opportunity to fight for justice not just for the (mostly white) protestor minority, but for all sections of society vulnerable to a police foce capable of acting as if it were above the law.

I know, I know: hopelessly reformist. Ah well.

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RTS Aftermath: campaign points

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